


Izuya

by Squirbi



Series: A New Era of Love and Peace [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Coming Out, Developing Friendships, F/F, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Kinda, M/M, Secret Relationship, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, dont worry zuko shuts it down right away, its not the focus, rating is for swearing and mild homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:33:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27704186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squirbi/pseuds/Squirbi
Summary: The story of how Izuya and Zuko went from personal assistant and boss to friends.This fic takes place before 'Surprise?'
Relationships: Izuya (OC)/Raya (OC), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: A New Era of Love and Peace [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2024243
Kudos: 59





	Izuya

**Author's Note:**

> I got a lot of positive feedback on my OCs Izuya and her girlfriend, Raya, so I decided to make a quick fic centered around Izuya and Zuko. Enjoy!

Izuya woke up to the sound of eggs cracking. She dragged her feet into the kitchen, where she saw Raya making omelets. Having a girlfriend who worked in the royal kitchen had its perks, and a hot breakfast every morning was one of them. 

“Good morning sweetie,” Raya said, giving her girlfriend a quick kiss on the cheek. “Today’s the day, huh?” she said as she turned back to the pan. 

“Uh, don’t remind me. I’m so nervous,” Izuya grumbled, sitting down at their table. 

“Don't worry about it too much. I’ve met him a few times. He seems pretty nice.” Raya grabbed a plate from the cupboard and set the omelet down in front of Izuya. 

“Whether he’s nice or not, he’s still the goddam Fire Lord.” Izuya shoveled down her breakfast. “I gotta head out, don’t want to be late on my first day.” 

“Of course. I’ll see you at lunch, okay?” 

“Okay, see you then. Love you,” Izuya pecked Raya on the lips. 

“Love you too,” she replied as Izuya ran out the door. 

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆ 

Izuya looked down at her dress, smoothing it out one last time before knocking on the large door in front of her. 

“Come in,” said a soft voice. 

The Fire Lord turned around, stepping away from his desk. “Oh shit! Sorry, I forgot I was getting a new personal assistant today. I’m Zuko.” 

Izuya bowed, but Zuko stopped her. “Please, you don’t need to bow for me,” he said, offering a handshake instead. 

She was surprised by his warm greeting but took his hand anyway. “I’m Izuya.” 

She had known, of course, that the new Fire Lord was only seventeen, but looking at him now, she was taken aback by just how young he looked. He was barely younger than her. 

“You look younger than I thought,” Izuya said, immediately clapping her hands over her mouth. She prepared to be yelled at but instead was met with a kind laugh. 

“Yeah, can you believe they actually let me be in charge? Although I suppose Ozai did try to make Azula Fire Lord when she was only fourteen. What a dick move.” 

Izuya found herself laughing along with Zuko. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. 

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆ 

A few weeks into the job, Izuya was honestly surprised at how easy the Fire Lord was to be around. She didn’t really know what she had been expecting, maybe a snobby royal or a self-centered prick, but Zuko was incredibly humble. He insisted that she called him Zuko, preferring his actual name as opposed to his title. He seemed to genuinely care about the nation and its citizens. 

She was standing outside of a meeting, waiting for them to wrap up so that she could give him a letter that had arrived from the Southern Water Tribe, when the indistinct muffled conversation she could hear from behind the heavy doors started getting more heated. 

The voices continued to get louder until she could clearly hear what was being said. “That is enough Advisor Ren. This is not Sozin’s, Azulon’s, or Ozai’s nation anymore. I am the new Fire Lord, and this type of bigotry will no longer be tolerated. Advisor Ren, you are no longer welcome on this team. You are dismissed.” 

The door swung open, and Izuya was met with a distressed Zuko. 

“Would you take a walk with me, Izuya? I need to clear my head.” 

She nodded, following Zuko down the hallway. 

“What happened back there? If you don’t mind me asking, of course.” 

“No, I don’t mind. I’m trying to get the same-sex marriage ban lifted, but there are still some homophobic dickheads on my advisory board. Advisor Ren had the fucking audacity to use a slur to describe homosexuals, and I kind of snapped at him.” Zuko stopped walking, noticing that Izuya had stopped walking a few paces ago. Her eyes looked wet with tears. 

“Izuya, are you-” He cut himself off when he felt a pair of arms wrapped around his middle. He returned the hug, doing his best to be comforting. 

Izuya stepped back, wiping her face clean of tears. “I’m sorry, that was inappropriate.” 

“No, it’s okay. I’m just worried. Are you alright?” He asked as they fell back into a comfortable pace. 

“I’m doing great, actually. I just-” she took a deep breath. “I never thought I would live to see the day that I could actually be myself, you know?” 

Zuko took a moment to process what she had said, but when he did, his face lit up with understanding. “Oh, are you…?” 

“Yeah, I’m lesbian.” 

“Oh, me too.” There was a beat of silence before they both burst into laughter. Once they had calmed down, Zuko corrected himself. 

“I’m not lesbian. I was trying to say that I’m gay.” 

“I figured,” Izuya replied, face still red with laughter. 

They walked quietly for a bit, then Zuko asked, “So, are you seeing anyone?” 

“I have a girlfriend, her name is Raya. She’s so beautiful, and she’s the most amazing cook in the world,” Izuya’s face practically glowed with happiness as she gushed about her girlfriend. 

“Wait, do you mean the Raya that works here?” Zuko asked. 

“Yeah, do you know her?” 

“Do I know her? Uh, yeah I do! She’s the only chef I’ve ever had that can make rava idli that’s on par with my Uncle’s! She’s amazing!” 

With that, they arrived at Zuko’s chambers. 

“Wait! Zuko! There’s a letter for you! Sorry, I forgot, just got caught up in the moment.” 

“Don’t worry about it.” 

That day, Izuya was surprised to notice that when she thought of Zuko, the first word that came to mind wasn’t boss, but a friend. 

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆ 

“Izuya, meet Ambassador Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe. Sokka, meet Izuya, my friend and personal assistant.” 

The look in Zuko’s eye was not lost on Izuya, it was a look of pure adoration. She would know, she looked at Raya the same way. 

Later, when she brought Zuko his tea, she saw Sokka leaving the Fire Lord’s office, face flushed and hair messy. When she opened the door, she found Zuko in a similar state of dishevelment. She sat down in the chair across from him, pouring a cup of tea for him and herself. 

She took a sip, then looked up at Zuko with a mischievous glint in her eye. 

“So, you and Sokka huh?” 

Zuko choked on his tea, his face going red with embarrassment. 

“What are you talking about?” he coughed, quite unconvincingly. 

Izuya laughed, taking another sip of her tea. “If you’re going to lie, at least fix your hair and smooth out your robes before I walk in.” 

Zuko started frantically combing his fingers through his hair, before giving up halfway through with a sigh. “Yeah, we’ve been dating since before the comet. Nobody else knows yet, so don’t go telling people, okay?” 

“Of course. If you’re not ready, I won’t say a word. My lips are sealed.” 

“Thank you Izuya.” 

They drank their tea quietly for a few minutes. 

“He’s pretty cute,” Izuya finally said. “You chose well.”

“I thought you were into girls,” Zuko teased. 

“I’m lesbian, not blind Zuko,” she teased back. 

The rest of the afternoon went the same way, chatting about their significant others and drinking tea.

**Author's Note:**

> Advisor Ren (derogatory)


End file.
